The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has strongly criticised the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) for excluding calf weight data collected by farmers under the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) from their genetic evaluations.
The ICBF has said that data used in the national cattle evaluations is sourced from marts, factories and on-farm weighing.
Sean Coughlan, ICBF chief executive, told Agriland that weights recorded by farmers for SCEP are not currently used in the evaluations, but weights recorded by technicians are used.
He confirmed that work is ongoing to have all SCEP weights available for use in the Eurostar evaluations and the aim is to have this completed in 2025.
ICSA
The ICSA Suckler Committee chair Jimmy Cosgrave has said that farmers have been angered to learn weight data they collected under SCEP is not included in genetic evaluations.
“Farmers diligently weigh cattle as part of SCEP, fully expecting the data they collect to contribute directly to ICBF’s genetic evaluations.
“To discover that this data is being disregarded is an affront to the time, effort, and expense farmers have invested in recording these weights,” he said.
Cosgrave said that ICSA does not accept ICBF’s reasoning for excluding farmer-collected data.
“ICBF’s claim that the data must ‘pass through a series of quality-controlled checks before it is eligible for inclusion’ and that they are working on ‘validating weights’ rings hollow.
“SCEP is a fully audited, CAP-funded scheme. If the weights meet all department of agriculture and EU audit standards for payments, it is baffling that ICBF considers them insufficient for genetic evaluations.”
He also said that leaving out so much weight data in genetic evaluations could have lasting effects on the future of the suckler sector.
“The sector relies on solid, complete data to make informed operational and breeding decisions. Ignoring this data not only harms our suckler farmers but also undermines the goal of improving the suckler herd,” he said.
Cosgrave added that many suckler farmers are now questioning whether ICBF is excluding the data because it might not support the outcomes they wish to promote regarding genetic performance and herd efficiency.
“Farmers are rightly angered that the data they collect is being ignored. We are now calling on ICBF to ensure all weights submitted by farmers through SCEP are included in future genetic evaluations for the benefit of the entire suckler sector,” he said.